”It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” Charles Darwin
For me, writing and sharing are inseparable. I never thought about journaling, keeping a personal record of thoughts and feelings. In a way, I am writing to you and for me. It feels like it has gotten harder to do recently and I’m pretty sure I know why.
We are being played in a very purposeful manner, but seeing it for what it is, makes it no less powerful. Motion is a critical element in this socio-political, mind fuck we are now living in. Flooding your audience can be very numbing, overwhelming the opposition, creating a hopeless despondency amongst them. This trajectory was inevitable for us.
After the Civil War, the robber barons were born, the royalty of our great, democratic system. Guys like Rockefeller and Vanderbilt epitomized the American Dream, a testament to the appeal of privilege and all its trappings. It is no coincidence that the steam engine’s introduction and the rise of our very own royalty occurred nearly simultaneously. Their interests became our political agenda, setting up the arranged marriage of politics and power.
Kings and dictators have a great deal in common. 250 years ago, a bunch of dudes got together in Philly, with the idea of starting a new country, getting out from the under the thumb of King George. However, power is a very sexy concept and being so filled with themselves at the time, they were more concerned with the unruly masses than a rogue executive branch. In fairness to those guys, they allowed for change, but assumed the rule of law would be followed.
Right now, we’re mired in chaos and it is purposeful. Any opposition, regardless of how small, is viewed as a serious threat. This is purposeful, like wearing blinders, keeping everyone in line. Compromise is a sign of weakness, so there is only one way forward. Fear is a very powerful tool, forcing a lot of mask wearing in order to avoid some imagined retribution. Today, it doesn’t even matter what your opinion is, because the haters are waiting in the wings.
We are floating in a sea of negativity, no matter where you look, everyone is angry. Society has its own mathematics and positivity is the only way to impact this painful state of affairs. This is not some naive wish on my part either. You know, those guys in Philly had a really good idea, regardless of how incredibly audacious it was. They declared war on an empire!
Wouldn’t you know it? The United States is becoming the enemy. No, I have to take that back. The US is the enemy and it seems to have happened so quickly. Like I said, this has been percolating for a long time, from the cave days. It is the quintessence of human behavior. Well, it certainly applies to the male half of the species. I am guessing a matriarchal set up would not have the same results, but that’s for another time.
Having graduated college in ’66, I was around for the optimism of possibility. The murder of JFK was soul crushing for young people. There was a time of healing for a handful of years, until the deaths of Dr. King and Bobby Kennedy. Confrontation increased after that and Kent State was a new low for us.
Wait! I can’t believe I trapped myself into writing like some historian, who understands how the world works. Shoveling back into our past, all the way back to the caves, is out of my league. The danger with writing, especially over time, you start thinking you know what you’re talking about. I guess there are people who actually do know, but not being one of them is only a sentence away, at least for me.
After all these years, we have finally hit the tipping point of “What is America all about?” Are we any different than all the dominant societies that have come before us? Sharing is not losing, but it is different from conventional winning and has been a bitch to understand. The most powerful country in the world is the most insecure, too. There is no such thing as enough and fairness is how you lose.
Getting back to the beginning of this story is probably a good idea. In the past, something would always stand out and become the subject. Today, it’s like trying to surf in a news tsunami. There was always something, but now it is everywhere and none of it is good. Trust me, I am miles from Pollyanna Land. Tomorrow’s news will be worse than today’s, all part of that sinister plan.
I still haven’t figured out how to maneuver in this world. I have a feeling it has thrown a bunch of you off course, as well. So, this is me trying to figure out how to cope and sharing it with you. Our capitalist system has a very strong appetite, starving democracy along the way. It is terribly flawed, putting profitability first and nothing comes close. In fairness, our history as a species has always been about taking advantage of each other, regardless of what you call it. Humility and gratitude are a weaknesses, food for the vipers.
Now, at my age, I understand about coping with limitations and it is not easy. Most of us are happy to be distracted by anything that keeps us from counting the passage of time. Our flaw as a society has dogged us forever. It is all about greed. Rather than lifting up the other, we stand over them. Ever since we walked the earth, we have taken her for granted, part of that same selfishness.
I guess I think about my own transition way more than used to, because time is in charge of these matters. I confess to thinking about the other side, having no idea if there is even one. I have the same sense of uncertainty when it comes to the future of this place. We have abused each other forever and treated other life forms and the planet as if it is all here for our immediate enjoyment, negative consequences be damned. It was only a matter of time until we got here. The glass is now officially half empty.
You and I have a choice as to how we live our lives. Individually, we are capable of change, always much harder than it appears. It requires work and commitment. On the other hand, changing human behavior is a pipe dream. What we have always done, we will continue to do. The more we have practiced, the better we have gotten at it, consequences be damned.
We have been heading to a fork in the road before there were even any roads. We have traveled in two directions, to the left and to the right, inching closer to that fork. We live in a world of right and wrong, strength and weakness. Somewhere, in between those two choices, lies the heart, the place where caring lives. It belongs to all of us. Those two roads are now crashing into each other.
Which road are you on? There is plenty of room on this one. It can fit everyone. Tell em Darwin sent you.
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https://www.buzzsprout.com/admin/1292459/episodes/18521627-doodling